Lebanon demands full Israeli troop withdrawal from south

Lebanon has demanded that Israeli forces fully withdraw from its territory in the south as agreed under a ceasefire agreement involving Hezbollah.

On Tuesday, Lebanese leaders said the Israeli military’s presence in the country in five locations is an “occupation” and said that Beirut was in touch with France and the United States to press the Israeli army to completely withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Under the truce deal, Israel was supposed to complete its withdrawal from the south by January 26, but the deadline was extended to Tuesday after Israel refused to comply.

Lebanon’s army, which under the truce deal should deploy across the south of the country as Israeli forces vacate, reported on Tuesday morning that Israel was present in about a dozen villages and border areas.

Later on Tuesday, Lebanon’s civil defence said it recovered 23 bodies from several towns bordering Israel.

“Specialised teams today … managed to remove 14 bodies from Meiss el-Jabal, three from Markaba and three from Kfar Kila, in addition to three from Odaisseh,” said the civil defence statement published by the state-run National News Agency.

The Israeli military began its partial pullback on Tuesday morning, but said it will remain in five strategic locations, warning it was ready to resume hostilities.

Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani confirmed that the army will maintain a presence at five hilltop locations to provide vantage points and protection for communities in northern Israel.

He claimed the “temporary measure” was approved by the US-led body monitoring the ceasefire.

Earlier, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held talks with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss Israeli violations of the truce deal, a statement from the president’s office said.

Lebanon is also set to ask the United Nations Security Council to force Israel to comply fully with the ceasefire agreement.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that the army has erected new posts on the Israeli side of the border and sent reinforcements.

“We are determined to provide full security to every northern community,” Katz said.